A new vision of health returns to The ChestnutsHistory of "The Chestnuts"

Many in the in the village will know 47 Beveridge Street, ‘The Chestnuts’, as the old Doctors’ surgery - its link to medicine dates from 1921 to the present day. Although not the oldest house in the village, the right-hand section originates from 1691, just 40 years after the end of the English Civil War.

The first 175 years of The Chestnuts’ history is vague, but the title deeds relating to its purchase by Charles Cross in the 1860s, refer to a ‘farmhouse with outbuildings’ and an ‘orchard, yard and garden’. The 1861 census also shows Charles Cross to be a ‘farmer’ and ‘cornfactor’ with 60 acres of land. The use of the property as a farm ended in 1904 with its purchase by local builder, John Ball. In 1921, John split the property into two plots, retaining the farm yard for use with his building business, and selling the house and garden to Dr Andrew Gray. John Ball’s granddaughter still lives on the site of the old farm yard at 45 Beveridge Street today.

The Chestnuts was Dr Gray’s GP surgery for 40 years and this continued for another 11 years under the ownership Drs John and Margaret Earl. Although John, Margaret and their family lived in the house for nearly 50 years, medical practice stopped at The Chestnuts when the village health centre opened in 1975. In 2013, Dr Carolyn Eddleston and Jonathan Wright bought the house as a family home and, to once again, use it for medicine.

Carolyn Eddleston

Being a registered GP and acupuncturist, Carolyn has a unique understanding of medicine and health. She qualified as a GP in 1995 and now works as an NHS GP at the Cottage surgery in Woodhouse Eaves.

Whilst living in New Zealand, Carolyn started to question the western model of health and its mechanistic view of the body. She observed that many people, despite having normal test results, or not obtaining a clear diagnosis, were still feeling very unwell. A local New Zealand Acupuncturist was running a workshop explaining the Daoist philosophy behind Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Something caught Carolyn’s attention - this ancient system of medicine connected seemingly unrelated symptoms; these connections not being made by western medicine. It transformed her understanding of illness, and set her on a path of 3 years full-time study in TCM.

In 2001, Carolyn returned to the UK and set up her Acupuncture clinic, ‘Cycles of Change’, in Loughborough.With the reassurance of her medical background and training in TCM, she offers a unique understanding of the body in health and illness. By moving her established Acupuncture clinic from Loughborough to Barrow, she will aim to provide the local community with a model of medicine that honours the individual and treats the root causes of illness and not just its symptoms. TCM involves the individual on a journey back to health, with specific treatments, lifestyle advice and support when people are feeling unwell.

Carolyn's vision for ‘Cycles of Change’ in Barrow is to provide a beautiful, uplifting environment where people can experience some relief from the fast pace of living. There will be a small team of practitioners who prioritise their own specialisms, offering treatments that fall under the umbrella of TCM - acupuncture, glass cupping, Chinese massage, nutrition and Medical Qi Gong (an energetic medical system that incorporates simple body movements, breathing and mental focus). ‘Cycles of Change’ will also be providing multi-bed clinics and small group workshops which will make the service more accessible to people.

“We have stopped taking responsibility for our health, preferring to rely on medication to 'fix us'”. With TCM, the patient is on a journey to health through making lifestyle changes, aided by treatments that bring the body into balance. When this happens, people get relief. Carolyn is not alone in her belief in the value of Acupuncture. Catherine Esworthy is another acupuncturist in Barrow and Carolyn will be working closely with her.